1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printer that has a plurality of functions and executes printing, such as a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP), and to a print processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-127928 discloses a conventional method for a digital multi-function peripheral (MFP). In this method, in accordance with the priority based on job kinds between a job in printing and a job in a print queue, an estimated time until completion of print and a set value of a print order that is arbitrarily preset by a user, a priority assigning process for print jobs is executed. It is thus automatically determined whether a job in a print queue is to be preferentially printed, or whether a job in printing is continuously printed.
In the method of KOKAI No. 2001-127928, however, the order of print is determined based on the preset priority for each kind of job and the estimated time until completion of print. If a preset priority is improper or if there are many jobs, the time of actual print of each of which is greatly different from the estimated time, an optimal print-order control for the user cannot be executed.